all and all we must fall down
by J.Caulfield
Summary: There are always different sides to every story. In War, most see only one as good and one as bad, both sides walk a fine line between destruction and justification. The only choice you have to make is which one is which.


Narrow rays of light stream through my thread bare curtains, darkening the shadows cast on the walls from the early rising sun. Kicking the thin sheets off my bed, I hastily make my way towards the windows already feeling the heat that I knew would be pulsing through the still slumbering city below me. Pulling the curtains aside I'm instantly blinded by the suns glare, turning my head to the side my eyes contract and shut. A flaming morning sky burning reds, oranges and yellows melt into the earth. Daybreak has fully come now making the blue sky seem to stretch endlessly across the sand dunes. It's early, but already the heat is becoming excessively uncomfortable, making it too hard to stay indoors for much longer. Not bothering to change I pull on my boots, taking note of the small pattern that had been sawn into them; smiling to myself I couldn't help but laugh at another of my mother's feeble attempts to prove she is a capable housewife. Pulling the curtains now completely apart, I notice the sun is entirely exposed making the small houses and shops below glow with orange tinges, the great sand dunes shine with early light, moving together in sync with the gentle breeze. Sighing to myself, I quietly make my way out of my room, taking the steps extra carefully as I pass three specific doors down the long hallway. Taking the stairs two at a time I make it into the kitchen, grabbing an apple as I go and slip silently out the back door. The streets are buzzing with early morning markets, filling slowly as more people are being awoken by the sweltering heat. Quickening my pace to avoid any unnecessary conversations, I steadily make my way towards the city gates, making note as I come closer of the number of guards that are on duty. Recognising two of the guards out of the group I move immediately out of their sight range, not feeling ready yet to be escorted back home, which I knew inevitably would come. Turning my body on an angle, I could see on each of the guards faces were their attention was held. I could also see a small ditch covered with thistles placed about twenty metres from the city entrance. Most people avoided any contact with desert thistles being both extremely sharp and poisonous; these characteristics were needed for them to survive in the arid climate. Most of them grow in shrubs outside the city walls, but somehow one had grown from under the gates making it impossible for it to be removed completely. This hazardous plant however, makes it possible for me to leave the city unnoticed and to my own enjoyment, unattended to. The sun is now directly above my head lighting the sky like an open flame, coating my back with a fine layer of sweat. The back of my shirt is slick against my skin, making it uncomfortable to move back and forth. Waiting for the opportune moment I crouch further into the ground, the soles of my boots engraved into the soft earth making small indents of distinct patterns. The sudden shuddering sound of a loud horn brought my eyes back up to the main gates, half of the guards shuffled back and forth to quickly make their way to new posts. The remainder lined up in single file just on the inside of the gates. Each morning a large amount of food, fabric and other goods are brought into the city by small groups of salesman and travelers. Although only a few arrive each day, they expand our market life and also create a profitable influence on the cities economy. Every person who comes through has to be checked in and searched for dangerous items or goods, this being the guard's main responsibility each morning. Looking through the gates, I could make out five or six men followed by a large shadow behind them, most likely a trailer filled with livestock. As each man made it through the last check point, the trailer was then slowly pulled through cutting off the guards view to the far wall. A foul stench entered my unwelcoming nostrils first followed by the clear sounds of farm life. Smirking towards the gates I waited for the moment when the line of guards would become completely occupied with the incoming trailer, finally allowing my escape to proceed. A sudden holt of the trailer was all that I needed to quickly sprint across the gateways entry, clearing the pathway with ease and expertly slip under the thistle bush. Making sure not to come in contact with any of the thorns, I slid smoothly down under the wall and allowed the large roots to guide me quickly through to the other side. I shivered from the sudden drop in temperature but felt relieved to be out of the heat. Black surrounded me as dark as the night, walking blind I slowly trailed my hands over the sides of the tunnel wall keeping my balance up as I stepped over bits of rock and large chucks clay. Walking further down the tunnel I listened as the loud voices from outside became quieter and more muffled, giving an indication of the depth of the hidden tunnel. The darkness was comforting and familiar. The silence soothed me in knowing that I was the only person who walked this trial. Moving slower as I recognized the abrupt turn in the tunnel which told me I was near the burrows exit, I exhaled in relief at another successful venture outside the city walls. Thin patches of light began to ricochet off the tunnel walls, bouncing off one another in vibrant strips of bright greens, luminous blues and brilliant pinks. They began to dance faster and quicker as I closed in on the exit, rebounding from the walls to my clothes. A strip of colour stained my shirt making the plain fabric shimmer with luster. I could now make out the outline of my boots from the limiting light as my eyes adjusted from the darkness, I quickened my pace knowing my eyes would now catch any loose rock or uplifted roots that may be exposed. A gentle sloshing sound could now be heard as the light overtook darkness and the rough earth beneath my feet turned to soft green grass. Coming out of the tunnel I felt the heat consume me in a sudden embrace. Walking steadily down the mossy hill I hid between the pine trees, sheltering myself from the intense warmth. Making my way through the lush forest, I could feel the cool leaves brush against my skin, combing arithmetically through my hair leaving a clean, fresh feeling on my fingertips. The trees began to part in the middle allowing beams of light to pass through the hefty leaves. Pushing the last of the leaves aside I stepped through and made my way to the edge of a small oasis. The sand and grass combined into a soft soil making the taller pine trees bend slightly at the top, casting ghostly shadows onto the crystal surface of the small spring. A subtle breeze blew through the tree tops, gently rustling the pines in a smooth swaying motion back and forth. A few dead leaves fell to the winds strength, letting them float down enchantingly in spirals until they lay at rest on the waters edge. Spinning in slow circles the leaves continued to move in sync with the waters current, watching them dance I walked around to the spring's edge coming to a stop. My hair whipped across my face as the wind picked up sending small grains of sand flying through the air; they scratched my bare legs making them itch from the harsh action. Bending down I took off my boots, scratching my legs in the process to remove the irritation. Wiggling my toes vigorously I enjoyed the tingling sensation that ran up my leg as my restrained feet came free. Plunging both feet into the water a long shiver over took my body shaking it all over unexpectedly. Tiny goose bumps rose from my legs acting in normal reflex from the sudden alter in temperature. Rubbing my legs together I watched in boredom as they slowly began to recede. Dainty ripples decorated the spring's surface as I continued to move my legs, stretching naturally one after the other. Turning my face up into the wind I closed my eyes and fell back onto the waters edge, pleasant warmth surrounded me as I moved deeper under the shade. Sighing in content I began to think about the ripples that continued to envelop the calm spring. Moving in sync together they follow one another dutifully, there was always one behind the other, always moving forward regardless of hindrances and difficulties that come their way. The fluidity of their synchronization could be compared to a strong brotherhood or team, a group of people who sought one another for the sole purpose of working together. Pursuing a way of life that pushes the individual from smaller to greater things, however a person can only stretch themselves so much before it becomes too much to handle and they break. If I had the opportunity to prove myself worthy of greatness I thought, I would defiantly break before I got the chance. Dishonoring my family would only be the factual outcome of my death, but dying with out a speck of respect for myself would surly send me to hell and beyond. Maybe if I were more similar to my family then I wouldn't have to ponder the inescapable feeling of being unnatural or weird. Being different has always isolated me from others and loneliness isn't something that's new to me, being surrounded by people who only talk to you out of respect is just the same as talking to yourself. Sometimes necessary but embarrassing all the same.

Being the youngest in my family was a problem before I was even born and being a girl made it twice as bad. Growing up I dealt with the traditional older sibling rivalries and arguments. However the only difference was that I was never involved, they were too focused on one another to even notice their little sister in the background of their latest battlefield zone. Every week would be a different rendezvous point, a different time, a different jutsu and a different winner. I can remember when I was younger waiting around for them for hours at a time, just watching them spar with one another. Watching them grit their teeth in pain and frustration as one got on top, only making the other come back stronger and faster. My father would join them as well on occasion, fighting two on one their friendly matches generally grew to an intensity that caused not only my nerves to shake and tremble but the ground beneath my feet to quiver and crumble as well. From memory, in a particular vicious fight my two brothers had managed to corner my father against the wall of one of the larger outdoor training arenas. My father stood with his back straight, arms extended, in a slight squatting position that made him appear completely relaxed but intently alert at the same time. Attacking in perfect symmetry, two thick barbs of sand were hurtled towards my father at a pace so fast I could hear the air itself tear in half. A substantial thick wall of sand appeared instantaneously as the barbs got within inches of their target, the barbs hit the wall in an explosion that blew my brothers back onto their knees. The sound that echoed through the arena was a terrifying deep thunder that rumbled through the training grounds in a rippling quake. A shriek of surprise left my lips as I fell from my feet, landing on my hands and knees in a brace position. Abruptly the ground came to a sudden halt and a pair of strong arms circled my waist pulling my back upright. Looking up in startled relief I came face to face with my father, his face held a shocked expression as his eyes darted from my face to my hands. Holding both my wrists in between us he began a thorough search from top to bottom. Knowing he wasn't going to find anything worth the worry, I looked around his legs only to be faced with sharp glares from my brothers. I knew they were annoyed with me for interrupting their training with our father, he hardly ever had time to "play" with them as they called it and I was just the annoyance, that distraction that took his attention away from them. Trying to get out of his grasp quick I pushed off his chest as I backed away from him, chuckling at my weak actions he scooped me up into his arms and faced me with a small grin. Ruffling my curly hair with a heavy palm he turned to the two boys and stating that he was going to take me home. It had to of been a week before either of my brothers talked to me again and they only did it to laugh at me as I looked miserably over my broken dolls lying all over my bedroom floor. I avoided their fights all together after that, spending most of my time by myself or with my mother at the hospital where she worked. My mother was a medical kunochi with a reputation that boasted her to be the best in the city. She worked long hours and sometimes wasn't even home for dinner, but when she was home she always emitted an aura of happiness and affection for our family. Even when she worked she treated her patients, fellow staff and superiors with the same respect and love that she showed her family. She was a genuinely beautiful woman. Spending most of my childhood through to my early teens in a hospital, I soon became quite a competent junior medic much to the pride of my mother. Also to the satisfaction of my father, who as soon as I had passed all my junior medical examinations, saw fit to point out his displeasure for his daughter to also follow her mothers other footsteps by becoming a kunochi. Not enjoying having his judgment questioned and being even more shocked when I shouted and argued against him, I began the heated argument which lasted between my parents until my thirteenth birthday when the decision was made for them.

A sharp snap brought me back from my train of thought. Sitting up urgently I looked across the spring just in time to see a large palm leaf fall from the sky, sinking below the still blue surface before rising back up and resting gently on top. My breaths were coming short as I tried to slow my heart rate down, only feeling it now I realized I must of fallen asleep in the heat. My eyes squinted up at the burning sphere it was now in the very centre of the sky turning the air around me into an open furnace. The strands of my fringe were damp and sticky, gluing them to my forehead in thin wisps of hair. Bending onto my knees warily, I looked down at my reflection in the water, looking for any signs of heat stroke that might hit me later on in the day. My hair although damp and slightly frizzy from lying on the ground, still hung in long dark brown curls, glimpses of the suns rays through the tree tops highlighted the deep crimson tints in my hair. My face was fiercely flushed, leaving a scarlet blush across my nose and cheeks. Licking my bottom lip, I felt the dry skin moisten up leaving a slight salty taste on my tongue. Gathering my hands together I dipped them under the water until my entire palms were covered, bringing them up quickly I splashed my face with the cool water, enjoying the chill as I felt the heat dissipate from my cheeks to the top of my nose. Placing my hands palms down on the soft sandy bank I looked down into the clear spring, through the deep hues of blue that resembled a dark pallet of night, I could still make out the pale tones of jade in my eyes. Sighing deeply above the water I knew that if I were to face my father at this moment, I would find an identical pair glaring down at me. Guessing it was already past midday I hastily pulled on my boots for the second time today, being careful not to shuffle the dry earth on the spring's edge. Too many traces of dirt and dust would give away the reason and most importantly the location to my disappearance this morning. Standing up I patted lightly the dirt off my front and backside, grimacing at my reflection on the springs surface I realized I was still wearing my pajamas from the night before. My plan obviously failing, to return home before anyone of my family members woke up to realize I wasn't sleeping snugly in my bed were I should be. Knowing there was no chance of taking the tunnel back into the city without being spotted, meant coming up with another blatant lie about why I felt the need to walk into the desert in the early hours of the morning. The only other exit to the oasis was taking a direct route straight into the arid region, climbing up and over the giant sand dunes that hide the city beneath them until making it round the circular path to the very front of the city gates. Being spotted wasn't the problem I cared for, but being spotted in the oasis I did care for. Managing to keep this small haven a secret from others hadn't been easy, but it was something I always intended to keep to myself and my family who already knew of its whereabouts. It was my second home; I knew who I was here and most of all what I was truly capable of being. Breaking into a flat sprint, I knew 10 minutes would be all I would need to make it to the top of the first sand dune. Racing past and tearing through the treetops, dark forest greens slowly turned to lighter gold's and yellows and my feet began to sink further into the earth below me. Making it to the top of the first sand dune, I ignored the protests of my lungs for more oxygen and dashed forward down the dune, skillfully sliding on my boots to the bottom. The rough surface of the sand was heating the sole of my boots pushing me faster through the roving dunes, making the view of the city in front of me clearer with every step. A sudden rapid shift in the earth sent giant bursts of sand into the air exploding all around my body which had taken a frozen stance in the middle of the sudden sandstorm. Dodging to the side quickly I avoided most of the debris that flew frantically through the air, landing softly on my feet I dashed forward hoping to avoid a collision with the growing tentacles of sand that were beginning to morph together. Entwining into one another, the tentacles rose around my body and above my head, imprisoning me in a hollow of earth. Feeling for my thigh holster out of habit, I realized once again that I was still in my pajamas and more importantly weaponless. The solid smooth cast of sand slowly gained towards me, closely encircling me tighter and faster with every rotation. Quickly scanning the barrier for an opening of any kind, I stepped forward swiftly, only to be greeted by an abrupt twine of sand slashing towards my face. Dodging aside just in time to avoid any contact, I stood back into my original position in the centre of the shrinking barrier. The speed from the sandstorm had thinned the air making it hard to breathe and concentrate on an escape plan. The enclosed space around me continued to shrink, pushing me back till I could feel the barrier against my rear, scratching and tearing my clothes and lower back. Staying still as possible to escape the loose wires of sand that whipped to the side at any small movement, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the apple I'd taken from the kitchen this morning. Concentrating on the trails of sand I threw the apple into the air, watching the sand slash up into the sky, towards the small target. As the sand sliced through the apples centre, I jumped up onto the trail of sand, sending chakra into the souls of my feet, gluing them to the smooth surface; I sprinted up the vertical path till I could see the giant plains of the desert once again. Free falling back to the ground and landing heavily on my side, I shot to the side just in time to avoid the first of hundreds of cascading sand darts piercing the air towards me. My lungs burned from being winded when I landed from the fall, my shallow breathes coming quicker with every dodge I made. I couldn't continue for much longer, I was too dehydrated and my energy was already drained to the extent were I couldn't manipulate chakra with any grace or form. Growing up with two older brothers I was never one to back out of a fight even when the stacks were packed against me, but I knew my body all too well to continue with these fleeting thoughts of victory. The decision was made for me however, when I felt my ankles being enclosed, the ropes of sand bound to my feet lifted me effortlessly off the ground hanging me upside down in all my failed glory. Sighing loudly I watched as the sand storm slowly dissipated into nothing but a thick layer of dust, the sand holding me however tightened its grip and dragged me through the dust, coating my dark clothes in golden patches. As I moved through the murky clearing, I could now make out a figure standing stoically just ahead of me. His broad shoulders indicated his masculine features through the hazy dust; his arms were crossed against his chest with his face directly looking at the ground probably in some hope to contain his anger which I could feel radiating off his body. Wanting to laugh out loud at his obvious hostile manner, I settled for a loud snort which immediately got his attention. His head shot up, the sand had pulled me very close holding me only an arms distance away from his now uncovered face. Dark emerald eyes poured into mine, his face scrunched up slightly as he sneered at my informal attire. The sand holding my feet abruptly loosened its grip on me sending me straight into the soft earth below me. A sharp snicker made me look up, his face smirked down at my pathetic dirty figure, while the sand that had restrained me slowly trailed behind his head brushing the light coloured ends of his hair.

'What did you do Ren, fall down?' he spoke tauntingly as he crouched down, making his face level with mine.

Not appreciating his black sense of humor after the surprise attack he had just pulled, I lifted my eyes from his turning them upwards towards the city gates which were now only a few hundred metres away.

'Nothing.' I replied simply, enjoying watching from the corner of my eye the small crease between his eyebrows as it deepened.

'Nothing huh', he answered slowly. Feeling his eyes on me, I realized there was no point avoiding his question, he already knew were I'd been all morning and now he was just playing with me until I gave in.

'I went for a walk', I replied quietly turning back towards him, 'I just needed to clear my head before the exam tomorrow.'

Snorting at my comment he stood back up towering over my sitting form, 'You had to actually think about such a little test, just how unprepared are you?' Turning away from me he began to walk in the direction of the city gates.

'I'm not unprepared' I shouted, standing up abruptly at his offending comment, 'I am more than ready for the Chuunin exams. Just because you were talented enough to receive your invitation to attend at an earlier age than me, does not make my acceptance any less worthy, Hiroshi'.

Stopping mid step at my sudden retort, he simply placed his hands in his pockets rolled his shoulders back and looked towards the sky. His light blonde hair caught the suns glint bringing out the strawberry tints at the ends. Without moving his body he craned his neck to the side slightly to look back at me.

'I never demoted your acceptance little sister, I only found humor in your obvious anxious state for tomorrow's exam. Seeing as you're no longer attending that is.'

Keeping eye contact, his smirk widened as he took in the confused expression that decorated my face.

'What do you mean that I'm not attending, of course I am', I spoke loudly mostly to make my reply sound more convincing to the both of us. His growing grin however, slowly began to kill any belief of hope I had in him lying.

'A hawk from the north arrived this morning', my eyes widened at the knowledge of hearing news from our main ally, Konoha. 'Three villages on the fire country border were slaughtered last night, seems as though the Sound finally decided to make of their promise. The third great shinobi war began this morning.'


End file.
